


Camellia Blossoms

by dr4gonbl4z3r



Category: Bleach
Genre: Developing Relationship, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Gay Sex, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:55:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27821854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dr4gonbl4z3r/pseuds/dr4gonbl4z3r
Summary: After the invasion of Soul Society turned into a betrayal from within, the captain and lieutenant of the Sixth Division have to heal their broken minds and bodies--and the shattered beliefs that lay in its wake.
Relationships: Abarai Renji/Kuchiki Byakuya
Comments: 6
Kudos: 38
Collections: The Seireitei Server Holidays Gift Exchange 2020





	Camellia Blossoms

**Author's Note:**

  * For [OfTheAshTree62](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OfTheAshTree62/gifts).



_ Cherry blossoms fall _

_ Yet the strawberry stands tall _

_ Sweeping change for all _

Those were the first words that entered Abarai Renji’s ears as his foggy brain cleared sightly, as a cobalt blue roof slowly faded into view.

“Aizen!” was the first word that left his mouth. The lieutenant of the Sixth Division shot up, and immediately regretted every movement he made in the brief seconds he was awake.

Renji collapsed back onto a surprisingly soft bed. His breathing became erratic, shallow and hurried, and red pain shot through his sight.

“You are in no state to move, Renji,” a familiar voice carried its way from the far corner of the room. Some footfalls later, the visage of Sixth Division captain Kuchiki Byakuya appeared.. 

“Captain Kuchiki!” Renji cried. He winced at how terribly hoarse he sounded. He tried lifting his right arm, which promptly fell limp. “Aizen! He…”

“As I said,” Byakuya spoke. “Do not worry. Aizen is no longer a threat to Soul Society.” 

He paused, contemplating his previous sentence.

“For now.”

“For now?” Renji said. “Then we must--”

“Look at yourself, Sixth Division’s lieutenant.” There was now a hard edge to Byakuya’s voice. “Covered entirely in bandages. Unable to move a muscle. Have some awareness of your current physical condition.”

Involuntary, frustrated tears came to Renji’s eyes. He smashed his fist against the bed, wincing even at that pillowy impact.

“I was… so weak,” Renji said, smashing his eyelids shut, desperately trying not to howl out his exasperation like a wolf to the moon. “I couldn’t do a thing! I--”

“No,” Byakuya said. “Do not beat yourself up. I must thank you for your valiant attempts at saving my sister, even when I was thoroughly misguided.”

Renji’s eyes cracked open. Byakuya’s face remained impossible to read with its statuesque solemness, but he has had enough life and death experiences with his captain--or more accurately, brought on by his captain--to see past the outwardly calm grey sea of his irises. Genuine ruefulness and, dare he say it, appreciation coated Byakuya’s every word.

“I…” Renji muttered. “I didn’t do much. I  _ couldn’t _ do much.”

“Had you not suffered the myriad blades of Senbonzakura,” Byakuya continued. “Who could have known the outcome? Perhaps you could have even pulled off the as yet most daring of your numerous defiances.”

For the first time in a long while, Renji chuckled. Of course, his captain couldn’t resist a jab at him.

Wait. Kuchiki Byakuya made a jab at him? Who was this guy?

“Haha,” Renji laughed nervously. “If we hadn’t been beaten by Ichigo…”

It was as if both Kuchiki Rukia and Hitsugaya Toshirou unleashed their Shikais in the room. The atmosphere plummeted to frigid zero, and Renji hastily shut himself up before it was too late.

It was already too late, however.

“Kurosaki Ichigo,” Byakuya muttered. 

“Captain,” Renji began. “I’m sorry. I didn’t--”

“Do not worry,” Byakuya said. “I am not bothered. In fact, I cannot help but admire Kurosaki Ichigo. After all, he has bested my lieutenant twice.”

Byakuya stared deeply into Renji’s soul. Renji thought about curling up and dying.

“There is no shame in losing to fine warriors, Renji,” Byakuya continued. “What matters is that you learn from them. Take heart that you are alive, and recuperating, even after facing my many blades--” a grimace, “--and his… small Bankai. So rest well. Heal. And we will eventually get Aizen where he deserves.”

“On his knees,” Renji said.

Byakuya nodded. Renji returned to staring at the cobalt blue ceiling.

“Captain,” Renji said. “Why are we in our barracks?”

“Barracks?” Byakuya said. “I see. You noticed the ceiling. We are actually at the Kuchiki estate.”

“The Kuchiki estate?!”

“Do not worry,” Byakuya assured. “It is enormous. This mansion is in its most private corner. I made this decision to ensure that you are away from prying eyes, so that you can focus all your efforts into recovery.”

_ That wasn’t the thing I was worried about _ , Renji thought.  _ Will I be murdered in my sleep? What happened to good old Fourth Division hospital rooms?  _

“Ah…” Renji stammered. “So… will the Fourth Division medics be stopping by? Or the Kuchiki family doctors?”

“No,” Byakuya said. “I told them to leave us undisturbed. As the head of the Kuchiki family, I am well-trained in Kaidou. You shall be under my personal care. My lieutenant bore the full brunt of my Bankai. It is only right that I watch over him, day and night, and ensure that he receives the best of care.”

Renji’s head screamed:  _ That just makes everything worse! _

\---

While Renji has had numerous opportunities to watch his captain worked, it was never quite this up close and personal.

Every time Renji opened his eyes in the morning, letting out a loud yawn, he was met with the cursory glance and greeting from his captain. The Kuchiki’s family wealth meant that the room was obviously large--Renji’s bed occupied but one small part of it in the middle.

To his left, Renji could see the numerous medical supplies that lined the room, no doubt brought in to help his recovery. He swallowed slightly when he saw a few boxes lined with the 12th Division logo, and prayed that Byakuya wouldn’t see fit to use them.

In front of him was a table, usually laden with nutritious food that the lieutenant promptly ate up. Every time he drifted off to sleep while every bone and sinew ached and groaned, he would wake up again to find the table once again full. He wasn’t sure how it got there, since Byakuya has insisted that no one else has come and gone from the place. It has to be Byakuya, right?

To his right, Byakuya has set up a temporary office of sorts. While Renji munched away on his breakfast--today consisting of a hefty amount of white rice, along with sardines, eggs, natto, and spinach--he would look over to see Byakuya going through paperwork, focused and unwavering on the task at hand.

Sure, Renji has seen that before. But now, he has the luxury of time to watch his captain simply keep at the same, monotonous task for hours. The lieutenant, if he was physically able to, would have likely been rough-housing in the combat field with new recruits, or finding Madarame Ikkaku for a bout, or looking for Iba Tetsuzamon for a quick sparring session…

But now, all Renji could do was look Byakuya pushing papers. It was boring, yes, but somehow, Byakuya managed to make the act elegant. Every paper flip, every dip of the brush, every furrow of the brow--the the all-action shinigami never thought that he would see the day that office work actually looked… 

_ Not bad _ , Renji shuddered.  _ Not interesting yet. Just not bad. _

In the afternoon, Byakuya would take off his captain’s haori and head outside to the garden. If Byakuya doing paperwork was bordering on elegant, his training and sword work was essentially a dance with an invisible partner.

More than once, Renji wished that he could be out there, taking the place of said invisible partner, learning from every stroke and slash of Byakuya’s blade. His battle with Byakuya has served him with the painful realization that the gap between their prowess was still wide. Far wider than he intended it to be. His hands gripped tightly onto the bed, and as everything that has transpired passed through his mind, he cursed his own powerlessness, and hoped against hope that he could leap out of bed right now and surpass Byakuya, and take down Aizen, and...

“What is wrong, Renji?” 

Byakuya’s voice jolted Renji back to Soul Society.

“You have been staring intently out of the window for quite a long while,” Byakuya continued. “Though it looks like your arms have regained some of their strength.”

Renji looked down, seeing the twisted bedsheets in both of his hands. Unwittingly, he had torn through the bandages all over his body due to his reckless and unexpected physical activity, and he could see the fabric of the bedding struggling to hold themselves together.

“I’m so sorry,” Renji muttered. “I got carried away.”

“It is a good thing that you are rediscovering your strength,” Byakuya said. “Evidence that my Kaidou has been expediting your recovery. Though I would appreciate it if you do not ruin my sheets.”

“Kaidou?” Renji asked, finally letting go of his grip. “When?”

“I thought it best to heal when you fall asleep, which is frequent,” Byakuya said. “Your mind and body is desperately clamouring for rest due to your sustained injuries. Going into deep sleep is your most physically restorative state, and I take the opportunity then.”

“All this time?” Renji exclaimed. He bowed his head, a little embarrassment showing in his cheeks. “I really can’t thank you enough, Captain.”

“Thank me by getting better and stronger, Renji,” Byakuya sat by his side, gently touching his shoulder. “I see that you have torn your bandages. Allow me to change them.”

“How could I--”

“Do not worry. As I said, you are under my care. I will not tolerate any objections or grandstanding about doing it yourself.”

Renji sighed. There was no use arguing with the captain.

“Now,” Byakuya said. “Lean back. I shall proceed with the change.”

Renji plopped back onto the bed, closing his eyes. He felt Byakuya’s deft fingers unwrap the bandages around his arms swiftly. The captain’s fingers would briefly make contact with his arms and body as he worked, sending small jolts of electricity through his skin that has been unexposed for so long.

_How is it possible that his hands are so soft?_ , Renji thought. _He literally swings his sword every day, for god’s sake._

It was nice allowing his skin to breathe again, even for just a brief period before they were wrapped up again. Renji found himself relaxing further, and his mind dimming to blank at just how good Byakuya’s hands felt, delicately moving themselves around his body like a master pianist pushing the right buttons one after another. Bliss emanated from his subconscious, travelling in waves down every fibre of muscle...

“This is a problem,” Byakuya’s words once again roused Renji from his brief out-of-body experience.

Brought back from the brink, Renji was now very acutely aware of what was the problem. The bandages that were covering the lower half of his body now strained noticeably, struggling to contain his blood-filled member from breaking free.

His face flushed hot red, and he looked at Byakuya, whose hands hovered uncertainly over Renji. To his captain’s credit, Byakuya’s face was still hard to read, though a bemused smile seems to be lightly dancing on the corners of his lips.

_ Fuck _ , Renji screamed in his head.  _ It felt so good that it just happened! _

“Captain!” Renji shot straight up, reaching for the blanket around his feet to cover his raging erection. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry!”

“Do not be,” Byakuya said. “It is after all, a splendid thing. It is rock solid proof that your internal blood, and therefore reiryoku, circulation is improving. It is but another indicator of your recovery progress.”

“But--” Renji stammered. “But--But!”

“Please uncover yourself now, Renji,” Byakuya said. “I still have to change those bandages. Leaving them on might prove to be a source of infection.”

“But… but!”

“Sixth Division lieutenant,” Byakuya said. “You are my subordinate. There is no need to hide anything from me.”

The captain stood there, hands still in the air, but unmoving, patiently waiting for Renji to budge. And so, Renji slowly and reluctantly kicked off the throw, prompting Byakuya to step in, fold the blanket, and neatly place it on a nearby table.

Renji’s weapon had not subsided one bit. He could no longer throw back his head, close his eyes, and drift off to dreamland. Instead, senses now tuned to 11, Renji intently stared in dread as Byakuya resumed his work, unwrapping the bandages and witnessing his prisoner spring free from its band-aid jail.

“Hmm,” was all Byakuya offered in this particular situation. The captain continued to remove the wrappings which went all the way down to Renji’s feet, narrowly avoiding contact with the threat that twitched and reared its head periodically.

Renji could feel fire everywhere in his body, but it burned especially hot in his cheeks. He saw the top of his chest flush red, and was in no doubt that his face had turned the colour of his hair. His heart was now palpitating furiously, rendering him short of breath.

Byakuya carried on. He glanced at Renji periodically--both the man and the little man--but his expression still provided next to nothing for Renji to process. Once all the bandages were finally off, Byakuya put them by the side, preparing a fresh batch of medicinal supplies, and started from the bottom.

The Sixth Division captain continued with the procedure. The toes, then the feet, then the heels. He moved up to the ankles, then the calves, then the thighs. All the while, Renji was painfully mesmerized by every single one of Byakuya’s touch, which remained confident, light, and felt very, very good.

And then, the tall obstacle was next. It had only gone from strength to strength, and wetness now permeated its tip, which had since shed it's foremost of skins.

Renji gulped.

“Captain,” he said. “There’s no need--”

“I was merely deciding the best course of action,” Byakuya said, now keenly studying the impediment in front of him. “It will not do to have any contaminants interfere with the effectiveness of the balm.”

“Contaminants?” Renji asked.

Byakuya assertively tapped the tip of Renji’s hard steel, which prompted a guttural moan from the lieutenant.

“This liquid might impede the medicinal salve,” Byakuya said. “And its protrusion will not allow the bandages to contour properly.”

Renji was speechless. His heart jackhammered. His brain was befuddled. Most intensely of all, his passion throbbed, taking every red blood cell in his body.

“Do you trust me, Renji?” Byakuya asked.

“Wha--what?” Renji faltered.

“Do you trust you captain, Sixth Division’s lieutenant??” Byakuya asked again. “I have a solution. But you have to trust me.”

“Wit--with my life, sir.”

“Good. Just relax, Renji. I’ll take care of it.”

In the blink of a Senka, Renji felt absolute euphoria wrap around his burgeoning cock. His head had jerked itself back involuntary, and he felt his core quiver and flutter. He looked down, and now saw a sight he never thought he would see in his life.

Byakuya’s right hand moved up and down Renji’s sex assuredly, while his left held the base. Each stroke was measured and calm. The captain’s keen eyes observed his technique and rhythm, careful never to stray too far off-tempo, like a pro dancer warmly looking out for and guiding his less experienced partner.

Renji had never been more vulnerable in his life. But his thoughts were not filled with his own weakness or helplessness. Rather, he could only think about just how much Byakuya has been aiding and pushing him, whether as an unattainable goal, an unmatched warrior, or as the most tender of healers. The lieutenant acknowledged that the captain was going far out of his way in his duties, and had never appreciated the head of the Kuchiki clan more than at this very moment, when and where pleasure seeped out of every pore thanks to Byakuya’s peerless practice.

“Sir,” Renji warned. “Sir, I’m--”

“Go on, Renji,” Byakuya said plainly, a thinly veiled ardour seeping through those throaty words. 

Who could blame him? Watching Renji’s tattooed and still-defined musculature, despite his lengthy time spent bound to the bed, twitch and convulse, tiny yet fervent groans escaping uninhibited was liable to turn anyone watching into a melting puddle of lust and impulse. There was a desire in Byakuya--one to see his lieutenant and partner at full strength again, never bowing against what he thought was unfair and unjust. Thus, he held firm in both mind and body, striving to bring Renji to completion.

If he had more strength left in his body, Renji would be thrashing, grabbing at whatever he could--but now, he was a hapless passenger at the mercy of his captain’s hands once more. It was a vibrant scene alright, not of the hundred million blades of Senbonzakura, but of Byakuya’s unfaltering cadence, his ethereal touch coaxing, pushing Renji past the point of no return.

And Renji’s passion exploded, ropes after rope erupting into the air and splashing on his chest. As his body emptied, his mind filled only with the thoughts of coming for his captain.

\---

When Renji woke up, groggy and exhausted, the first thing he noticed were the beams of moonlight that shone in from the open window. Then, he saw Byakuya on the porch, sat upright, head tilted towards the shining crescent in the sky.

He looked down at his body once again, seeing his body expertly bandaged again.

_ Did I… imagine everything? _ Renji thought. 

Without thinking, his legs moved, stepping onto the warm floor. He blinked once, twice, wondering why this was significant. It felt like he hadn’t stood in weeks. Then, he realized that he actually haven’t stood in weeks. 

An involuntary yelp from Renji caused Byakuya’s head to turn.

“I’m walking!” Renji yelled. “I’m walking!”

Then, Renji felt his legs buckle, and himself collapse.

Before he hit the floor, his captain had already used a perfect Shunpo, holding Renji’s lower back firmly with two strong arms.

“Ah,” Renji uttered, feeling the embers of embarrassment firing up. “Thanks.”

“I am here for you,” Byakuya said. “You can stand now, if only for a fleeting moment. An adequate improvement for a short amount of rest.”

Byakuya lifted Renji up, allowing the lieutenant to stand on his feet, albeit still a little wobbly. Renji looked out, fixated upon the crescent moon in the sky.

“Would you like to sit outside with me?” Byakuya asked, noticing Renji’s longing look outdoors. “You must be tired of your bed by now.”

Renji chuckled. Tired, indeed.

“I would like that, Captain Kuchiki,” Renji said. “Thank you.”

Each step guided by Byakuya’s steady hands, Renji eventually made his way outside, plopping heavily onto the porch. Byakuya sat beside him, pouring out a cup of fragrant tea that wafted past Renji’s nose.

“Here,” Byakuya said, gently lifting the cup and placing it in Renji’s awaiting hands. The captain’s palms wrapped around Renji, making sure that his lieutenant held it tightly without dropping. 

Electricity ran through both of them. The duo turned, making eye contact. Suddenly, all of the afternoon’s memories surged back into Renji’s voided mind, causing the lieutenant to pull back.

“Captain!” Renji said, voice involuntarily raising in both decibels and pitch. His cheeks now burned feverishly. “Thank you!”

“See if the tea is to your liking,” Byakuya said.

Renji took a sip, mostly to hide his flustered face. The hot tea’s cherry blossom scent enveloped his body, its taste drifting inwards, warming his entire body pleasantly.

“Wow,” Renji said. “This is… really good!”

“Of course,” Byakuya said, a wry smile on his face. “I made it myself.”

The two then stayed still and quiet for a moment, appreciating the warm tea that seeped into every pore, the cool night breeze that brushed gently past, and the luminous cradle hanging high in the dark sky, stars dotting the black curtain and twinkling lazily beside it.

It was Renji that broke the quiet, with a voice nearly as hushed as the wind’s breath.

“Captain, this afternoon...” Renji said, trailing off. He struggled to put the experience into words.

“What of it?” Byakuya asked. “Were you not satisfied with my treatment?”

“No, no!” Renji exclaimed. “I loved it! It was great!”

Byakuya laughed, still graceful and collected, while Renji sat, dumbfounded at the careless words that escaped him. 

“I am heartened that you liked it,” Byakuya said in the last throes of his amusement. “I am glad you trusted me.”

“But why?” Renji asked, still confused. “I… I’m just…”

“I appreciate you, Renji,” Byakuya said matter-of-factly. 

“Oh,” Renji said. “Er… I appreciate you too, Captain.”

The pair returned to sipping their teas, though Renji’s head continued to swim with questions. This time, it was Byakuya who broke the silence.

“That crescent moon in the sky,” he said. “I cannot help but be reminded of Kurosaki Ichigo and his smug grin.”

“I know exactly what you mean,” Renji said.

“But you, Renji, you aren’t the moon in the sky, looking in on a foreign domain,” Byakuya continued. “You are a wild beast reared in Soul Society, driven by your primal instincts instead of composed thoughts.”

“Er…” Renji hemmed and hawed. Was he getting criticized by his captain? He hoped he wasn’t about to receive yet another lecture about decorum or decency or properness or…

“And yet,” Byakuya said. “I cannot help but admire how right those instincts were. Ichigo had the benefit of being an outsider, a ryoka. But you? Even during that mission to the human world, you believed that Rukia was thrust into circumstances fully out of her control. While I naively believed that I was doing what was right through the whole fiasco, you continued to fight against the tide, trusting in your intuition rather than the arbitrary rules of Soul Society.”

Renji shifted around uncomfortably.

“Of course, it turned out that I was horribly wrong. Ichigo made me realize that in the end with my defeat. But you? Even knowing you were outmatched, you fought me willingly. Even when pinned down by my blades, you lashed out, refusing to give up till the very last moment. Even when I thoroughly beat you, you crawled your way to the end, trying to rescue my sister. Those instincts within your soul never wilted, no matter how much your body was battered and damaged.”

Byakuya, who had been staring towards the sky, now turned, looking Renji tenderly into the eyes.

“You disobeyed me. You shocked me. But most important of all--you impressed me, with your tenacity and your willingness to listen to your instincts, no matter how against the grain they were.”

Byakuya shifted a little closer, his hand drifting towards Renji’s red-hot cheeks.

“As for this afternoon, that was me listening to my basest instincts,” Byakuya smiled. “As the head of the Kuchiki clan, I should not have been there. As the captain of the Sixth Division, I should not go so far with a subordinate.”

The captain’s face drifted closer to his lieutenant’s.

“But as Byakuya? I simply wanted to. And I liked it.”

Renji listened. To his captain and to his heart. And without thinking, he pushed himself forward, locking lips with Byakuya, melting like butter.

They separated, sheepish smiles now decorating their visages.

“That was me listening to my instincts,” Renji said. 

“Good,” Byakuya said. “They are on the right track.”

Under the crescent moon, the two top shinigamis of the Sixth Division kissed, letting their feelings flow through duelling lips instead of clashing blades.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey OfTheAshTree62,
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the gift :) This is my first time writing any sort of explicit M/M content, and I sincerely hope that my inexperience didn't stop it from being a good story.
> 
> I originally intended this to be longer, but life... gets in the way. If you like the story and would like to continue reading, send a message to me on Discord, and we can figure something out :D


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